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How A Concierge Doctor Can Help You Maintain Optimal Health Through Nutrition And Exercise Guidance

Nutrition and exercise are integral to maintaining health but can be challenging to sustain without a support system. A concierge doctor can help you define and achieve nutritional and exercise goals that can help you improve your overall health.

Concierge doctors offer care that is more direct, personalized, and accessible than you would typically experience going to a doctor’s office. These medical professionals often have a select roster of patients in their care, allowing them to devote more personalized care and attention to their patients.

This article will explain how in-home, personalized concierge care can help patients reach their short- and long-term health goals.

The significance of nutrition and exercise

A lifestyle involving nutrition and exercise is essential for maintaining physical and mental well-being. Practicing these healthy habits can help prevent excess weight gain, promote weight loss, and improve mood and sleep. Physical activity also enhances brain function and reaction time.
Inadequate diet and lack of exercise escalate the risks of becoming overweight or obese, which can lead to several chronic, non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis), some cancers, and type 2 diabetes.

Crucial components of nutrition guidance

The critical components of nutrition guidance consist of assessing dietary habits and nutritional deficiencies, designing personalized meal plans, and educating patients about healthy food choices.

A thorough nutritional assessment can help determine if an individual’s nutritional intake is balanced.1 The information collected during a dietary assessment can include information gathered from various sources, such as the patient, family members, caregivers, and medical records.

During a nutritional assessment, your doctor can inquire about your history of dietary habits, your meal frequency, typical serving sizes consumed, any potential food allergies, food preferences, and any dietary restrictions you may have. You can record your daily nutrient and fluid intake using the 24-hour recall method, diet charts, or food frequency questionnaires (FFQ).

healthy smoothie with two straws

You can also use nutritional analysis software, phone apps, or wearable monitoring devices as aids. To limit the risk of nutrient insufficiency and toxicity, you must also track the frequency and dosage of any nutritional supplements you take.

Another important aspect of nutrition guidance is designing personalized meal plans. Meal planning will help you eat appropriate portions of food, eat healthier foods, save money by eating at restaurants less frequently, and avoid wasting food because you will know precisely what and how much you need.

To ensure that you are making healthy eating choices, you should pay attention to nutrition labels and seek out the following foods:

  • Foods with low saturated fats and high polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats
  • Juices with 100 percent fruit juice
  • Foods with whole grains, such as brown rice, wild rice, cracked wheat, and whole wheat
  • Reduced or low sodium

Foods and ingredients you should limit or avoid include:

  • Foods that contain processed or refined grains and starches
  • Foods with a lot of added sugar or sweeteners
  • Refined grain products, such as degermed cornmeal, white bread, white flour, and white rice

Exercise guidance for optimal health

Exercise guidance supporting optimal health can consist of assessing individual fitness levels and goals, designing personalized exercise programs, and incorporating variety and progression in workouts.

A fitness assessment is a series of tests to help you and your doctor determine your fitness level and abilities.

A fitness assessment consists of a combination of the following information and tests:

  • Current height
  • Current weight
  • Resting blood pressure (RBP)
  • Resting heart rate (RHR)
  • Physical activity readiness questionnaire (PAR-Q) to find out what medications you take and if you have any dizziness, pain, or a medical condition that may impair your ability to exercise
  • Body composition (the bones, fat, and muscle that make up your total body weight) measurement based on one or more of the following tests:
doctor at home visit measuring blood pressure
    • Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA): This test estimates your body composition by sending electrical signals from electrodes through the soles of your feet to your abdomen
    • Body mass index (BMI): This is a generalized calculation of body fat based on height and weight
  • Cardiovascular endurance tests (stress tests): These tests measure the ability of your heart and lungs to supply oxygen and energy to your body while you exercise. The three most common stress tests used are:
  • Flexibility testing: This determines if you have foot instability, limitations in your range of motion, or postural imbalances

Once your fitness assessment is complete, your doctor can design a personalized exercise program, providing you with a plan for exercises that you can do at your current fitness level so you will not overwork yourself or be at an increased risk of injury.

Another important aspect of exercise guidance is incorporating variety and progression into workouts. Workout variety will allow you to work on different muscle groups and areas of the body, which can help keep you engaged in your exercise and combat boredom and stagnation.

Progression is vital as you continue on an exercise plan because, over time, you should gradually be able to lift more weight, complete more repetitions, and exercise for more extended periods. Switching up your workouts allows you to maximize your effort for increased results.

The role of concierge doctors in health management

Concierge doctors receive the same education and training as primary care physicians and are capable of everything a primary care physician can perform. Concierge doctors can administer lab tests, conduct annual physical exams, and provide diagnostic screenings and minor urgent care services like treating or stitching minor skin conditions. However, concierge doctors cannot offer specialized treatments or medical procedures like surgery.

Concierge doctors go beyond traditional healthcare because they see fewer patients, spend more time with each patient, and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. This approach makes it much simpler and more convenient to schedule an appointment with a concierge doctor than a doctor who works in an office.

A concierge doctor will typically have more time to review your needs and discuss your concerns and is prepared to offer a personalized approach to nutrition and exercise guidance. This direct care allows you to implement healthy lifestyle adjustments quickly and get you on your immediate path to optimum health.

Concierge doctor during a home visit

A concierge doctor’s guidance can empower you to make informed choices and provide tailored nutrition plans that suit your needs and customized exercise recommendations for optimal results.

Last words

Exercise and a healthy diet are necessary to avoid becoming overweight or obese; staying healthy decreases your risk of health issues and illnesses.

Having a concierge doctor design personalized meal plans and exercise programs for you takes the guesswork out of making healthy lifestyle changes to benefit your health. The doctor will determine your physical abilities and goals and devise a plan to reach your fitness and nutrition goals safely. This personalized care makes it much easier to stick to healthy eating and exercise because it will be less overwhelming.

A concierge doctor is more accessible than a doctor who works in an office because they will come to you, do not see as many patients as doctors who work in clinics do, and can fully tailor your healthcare to suit your needs. Concierge medicine makes it easy to get the care you need to optimize your health over the long term.

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References

[1] Nutritional Assessment. Kesari A.



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